Costea showed displeasure with Osaka’s cheering and gave a sour handshake; the latter responded: “It’s unfortunate to upset you when I’m close to retirement.”

In the second round of the 2026 Australian Open women’s singles, Japanese star Naomi Osaka defeated Romanian veteran Costea 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. However, after the match, when Osaka extended her hand for a handshake, Costea responded with a cold expression. Onsite footage clearly captured Costea turning away but then suddenly looking back to say something to Osaka, whose face first showed confusion and then resignation.

In the first round, Osaka stunned the crowd with a glamorous outfit but struggled through a tough three-set battle against Ruzic, showing she was not in peak form. Her current opponent—Costea, now 35 years old and ranked 41st in the world—had already announced this would be her final Australian Open appearance. One is a former champion striving to return to the top, the other a veteran eager to leave a memorable mark in her farewell tournament. This matchup was full of stories even before it began.

At the start of the first set, Costea took the initiative by breaking serve early in the second game. However, Osaka quickly adjusted and broke back in the third game. The players then battled evenly until the eighth game, when Osaka secured a crucial break and closed the set 6-3.

In the second set, Costea showed the resilience of a veteran. She established an early lead with breaks and holds, and although Osaka broke back mid-set, Costea broke again in the decisive tenth game, taking the set 6-4 and pushing the match to a final set.

In the deciding set, Osaka regained her attacking rhythm and capitalized on Costea’s declining stamina to pull ahead 4-2. However, controversy arose at this moment! After Costea’s first serve fault, during the second serve interval, Osaka loudly shouted “Come on” to encourage herself. This action upset Costea, who questioned the chair umpire about whether shouting between serves was appropriate. The umpire responded that no rules forbid a player from motivating themselves between the opponent’s first and second serves.

Following this, the momentum shifted dramatically as Costea’s emotions visibly faltered, leading to multiple errors and service breaks. Osaka increasingly shouted loud “Come on” cheers after winning points, ultimately dominating to win the final set.

This led to the opening scene after the match, where a sideline microphone captured a conversation: Osaka asked, “Hey, what’s this about again?” Then, at the net, Costea told Osaka, “You don’t understand fair play. Friend, after all these years playing tennis, you still don’t get what fair competition means.” Osaka looked bewildered.

In a post-match interview, Osaka addressed the incident proactively: “Obviously, I needed a lot of ‘Come on’ cheers; she seemed upset about that.” She added, “I tried my best out there. She’s a great player, and I know this is her last Australian Open. I’m sorry if it annoyed her.” These remarks elicited mixed reactions from the crowd, with some applauding and others booing.

At the subsequent press conference, the two players showed contrasting attitudes. Osaka apologized for her post-match comments: “I want to apologize for what I initially said on court; it came off as rude, which was not my intention.”

She further explained that she has long used “Come on” as a way to motivate herself and that no opponent had ever objected before; the referee also confirmed this was within the rules.

Costea chose to downplay the conflict, shifting focus to the end of her career: “We just had a simple conversation, nothing serious. This is my last Australian Open after 20 years on tour. Those moments mean much more to me than the five seconds I spent exchanging words with Osaka.”

When pressed by reporters about the exact words exchanged at the net, Costea declined to elaborate: “It’s fine, everything’s good. We just talked briefly. Nothing big. It was a great match, and she played much better than me in the later stages, deserving the win.”

The match and ensuing controversy quickly sparked heated debate on social media, splitting opinions sharply.

Some fans sided with Costea, believing Osaka’s actions were indeed disruptive. One commenter wrote, “Tennis requires intense focus, and shouting loudly during an opponent’s serve, even to encourage oneself, can break their rhythm.”

Many others defended Osaka, pointing out that her behavior did not violate any rules and is a common method of self-motivation. A fan commented, “If the umpire says it’s fine, then it’s fine. Costea should focus on her game instead of complaining about her opponent’s cheers.”

Former pro player and current commentator Mary Carrillo shared her view on social media: “These ‘gray area’ behaviors have always been controversial in tennis. While not explicitly banned, shouting right after an opponent’s error can affect their mindset. The umpire’s decision is final, and players must learn to maintain focus under such circumstances.”

Tennis etiquette expert Mark Peterson analyzed: “There are many unwritten ‘gentleman’s agreements’ in tennis, one being to avoid excessive celebration immediately after an opponent’s clear mistake. Osaka’s conduct skirts the edge of the rules, sparking debate about the clash between modern tennis spirit and traditional etiquette.”

After advancing, Osaka will face Australian wildcard player Inglis in the next round. Meanwhile, Costea ends her 20-year Australian Open journey with this controversial defeat. When asked if she would change her behavior, Osaka firmly said no, stating she will continue playing and motivating herself in her familiar way. As the Australian Open progresses, whether this four-time Grand Slam champion can overcome the controversy and advance further remains a key storyline.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)